


Barbarism Begins at Home

by breakneckbetty



Category: Midnight Poppy Land (Webcomic)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:46:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27239023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breakneckbetty/pseuds/breakneckbetty
Summary: In which our new friend Damien finds his life's calling.All credit to Lilydusk and her impeccable writing- Main characters and settings belong to her.I am experimenting with a new writing format. Its different- but I hope you enjoy!
Comments: 5
Kudos: 22





	Barbarism Begins at Home

A crack on the head is just what you get...

I’ve put the track on loop and I’m thinking of a story. I’d like to tell it to you if you’d care to listen…

I see three boys, on the cusp of being young men but not just yet. Scruffy and aimless, perfecting the fine art of leaning against walls and sitting on tables and flipping up the prep school girls’ skirts. I see packs of smokes swiped from older brothers’ beater cars and skate boards that sport stickers from all the sickest indie bands. Hoodies and hats on backwards, worn out kicks with pot leaves on the laces. Middle school riot boys looking for a ruckus.

If you see these boys, you can almost guess their names, but I’ll tell you- they are Sick Benny (for so many reasons), Mad Matty the chaotic genius, and Damien. No nickname needed there- straight up son of the devil. 

They found each other early in life and are sworn, boon companions as long as there are adventures to be had and no one turns pussy. Today they are looking for a cure to boredom. Mad Matty thinks they should crash Regina’s Peak. Maybe the Kings are hanging. Damien tosses out a half hearted “Sure” to this idea but is high key ecstatic. He’s been trying to get jumped into whatever that gang is for an easy six months. 

There is a road that leads up to the peak. Its steep and windy and way too much work to skate up but Sick Benny knows a short cut through the woods. There is a little bit of a hike but it beats trying to skate the grade. They make it to the top in about fifteen minutes, and they stash their backpacks in the brush before they hit Dead End Bridge- skate bearings are expensive and these boys aren’t stupid enough to bring high end loot to a gang hangout.

Damien is looking over the brush to see if the Kings are parked on the bridge, and they are. He’s so stoked his mouth gets dry and his stomach flips over for a second. Enough- he shakes himself like a dog and waves at his boys to head out toward the remains of the collapsed covered bridge.

I can guarantee you the atmosphere smells like teen spirit and these three boys are getting high from the adrenaline of seeing the Kings up close. Damien’s been trying to collect their names like his little shit brother collects Pokemon. There’s Goliath, Quincey and Tora- that’s all he has so far. Really that’s all that matters to him at this point- because these guys are everything his crew wants to be.  
Sick Benny smacks Damien on the arm as they saunter closer. Tora is sticking kick flip after kick flip and Quincey is steady shaking his head ‘no’ like the dude can’t get it right. Mad Matty is more interested in the graffiti that Goliath is spraying on the roof of the underpass. He’s on top of the parked passenger van spraying into the heavens like a Michelangelo. There are guys hanging out in the van and there are guys jumping boards from every surface possible. Lot of guys.

Now Damien has been thinking for quite awhile on how he is going to get a spot in this crew. Pussies need not apply- a statement has to be made. He’s sizing up most of the peripheral guys and he’s not seeing much there. He’s pretty sure that between the three of them, they can take about 4 of these fluffers even if they are 5 years older. All they need is a moment, a spark of chaos provided by Matty and some dirty tricks from Benny and he will have the opening he needs. 

Damien breathes deep and lifts his hand and like a flash Mad Matty runs toward the skaters, hurling a fist full of bearings under their wheels. A mighty crash and much mayhem- just right. Sick Benny goes for reserved and throws a couple stink bombs into the van- low key really-he’s not passing this exam tonight. Doesn’t matter- Damien has his target in his sights. He runs full speed at Tora, ready to prove himself capable by taking on the biggest of dogs. He’s committed and has just one shot to get noticed, and he knows he’s gonna pay dearly but he’s sure of himself. Oi Mister CEO, I’m applying for this job!

It hurts when Damien hits the ground- not the gravity, not the friction, not the fact that he doesn’t even get a swing off on Tora’s face. Tora just walks off, doesn’t even acknowledge Damien. Its Quincey’s foot that does the job. Straight up tripped and now Damien is straight up trippin’. The place is clearing out – no riot, no ruckus, no “hey kid you got the stuff”. Just a van full of douchebags pulling out and a gut full of disappointment. Quincey is blowing the boys a kiss out the window as the van pulls off down the hill.

Who knows, maybe one day Damien will get his break. But today is not that day.


End file.
